Television station gets it's signal hijacked and a weird broadcast is played

[quakefiend420]

happened in chicago in 1987

could be nsfw

During a broadcast of the Dr. Who episode "Horror of Fang Rock" on WTTW Chicago Channel 11, on Sunday November 22nd, 1987, at around 11:15pm, a Video "Pirate" wearing a Max Headroom mask broke into the signal and transmitted one of the weirdest, unauthorized things ever to hit the Chicago airwaves.

Earlier in the evening on the same day, during the Nine O'Clock News on Channel 9 (Yes, a completely different channel) the Max Headroom Pirate also broke in - although it was for a much shorter time and there was no audio.

Needless to say, Dan Rohn (the sports reporter) was a bit flustered.

And no, he was never caught.

My Take: The guy was probably high and/or drunk. Even with the audio distortion, his ramblings don't make much sense. Here's what I am able to make out:

"He's a freaky nerd!"

"This guy's better than Chuck Swirsky." [another WGN sportscaster at the time]

"Oh Jesus!"

"Catch the wave..." [reference to a Coke commercial at the time of which Max Headroom was a spokesperson]

"Your love is fading..."

"I stole CBS."

"Oh, I just made a giant masterpiece printed all over the greatest world newspaper nerds." [??]

"My brother [mother?] is wearing the other one."

"It's dirty..."

"They're coming to get me..."

 

[neutralizer]

Okay.

 

[BarneyFife]

LOL!! I was just reading this about 2 hours ago. The video is on youtube.

 

[quakefiend420]

Originally posted by: neutralizer
Okay.

i thought it was neat

he also took over a different network the same day for a short time

never caught

 

[quakefiend420]

Originally posted by: BarneyFife
LOL!! I was just reading this about 2 hours ago. The video is on youtube.

where were you reading about it?

and i posted a link to the youtube video lol

do you have a link to the other time broke in?

 

[tfinch2]

I remember in the 1990's it was either Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network, but they actually played PlayboyTV for a few minutes. I don't remember where it happened, but I remember hearing about it on the news.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Would be cooler if it was used to transmit some radical anarchist message a la "V for Vendetta".

 

[TheVrolok]

Very interesting.

 

[quakefiend420]

bump

 

[amicold]

Kinda...eerie.

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

ZOMGSPOILERS! :|

 

[jfall]

hack the planet!

 

[mugs]

Weird

 

[quakefiend420]

one last bump for night crew

 

[zerocool84]

links????

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: tfinch2
I remember in the 1990's it was either Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network, but they actually played PlayboyTV for a few minutes. I don't remember where it happened, but I remember hearing about it on the news.

It was Nickelodeon. I was watching some after school show in junior high, and the same thing happened. It was very exciting.

 

[Journer]

neat

 

[quakefiend420]

Originally posted by: TallBill

Originally posted by: tfinch2
I remember in the 1990's it was either Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network, but they actually played PlayboyTV for a few minutes. I don't remember where it happened, but I remember hearing about it on the news.

It was Nickelodeon. I was watching some after school show in junior high, and the same thing happened. It was very exciting.

so you actually saw it?

how long did it last?

 

[imported_griffis]

odd...